Quilters have been embellishing with appliqués for centuries. Needle-turned, reversed, and satin-stitched appliqués are only a few of the common types. Now add an embroidery machine and the whole process of traditional appliqué is turned upside-out. Hmm, you’re thinking, what’s upside-out?

Recently I had the opportunity of working with Eileen Roche, producing and co-anchoring a video to team up with her newest book, Machine Embroidered Quilting and Appliqué.Eileen—never one to be satisfied with the norm—took a totally different approach to this creative embellishment.

Traditionally we appliqué first, piece second, and quilt third. With her upside-out quilt blocks the process has a different order: quilted, appliquéd, removed from the hoop, and then pieced. The appliqué is added upside—to the top of the quilt sandwich, and the edges are on the outside—raw-edge appliqué. This quilt, featuring the upside-out Ohio Star block was created using this unique approach.

Here’s a snapshot of the process, featuring an upside-out Ohio Star block:

Step One: Strips of backing, batting, and top fabrics are layered together and placed in a hoop—The Snap Hoop is featured. The first embroidery thread color is selected and automatically stitches a stippled background.

Step Two: The appliqué fabric is positioned on top of the embroidery.

Step Three: The next thread color stitches the Ohio Star outline.

Step Four: The interior of the embroidered quilt block is stitched. Notice the perfect quilting stitches—the embroidery machine does the work!

Steps Five and Six: Trim next to the outline stitch. A sharp scissors is a must!

More Ideas!

Eileen details how to assemble the quilted/appliquéd pieces in her new book. The process is quite revolutionary! Here are a few of the other projects featured in Machine Embroidered Quilting and Appliqué—all instructions, embroideries, plus a DVD are in one package—how’s that for complete!

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6 Comments

JaniceAugust 7, 2012

Love this method of combining quilting, applique, and machine embroidery! It only makes me wish for a larger stitch field….lol! As I only have the 5×7, I tend to stick to machine embroidery applique designs, adding to my pieced block. This may be a new adventure!! Thanks, Nancy, for presenting new ways to do things.

CynthiaAugust 7, 2012

I am wondering if this quilt block is done the way I think the quilt as you go blocks are done. The blocks are completely quilted, meaning the top is completed, then the batting and backing is put under the hoop and it is quilted in the hoop. When all the blocks have been completed in this way the blocks are then stitched together to form the the quilt. This creates raw seams on the back where all the blocks were stitched together. These raw seams then have to have sashing stitched over them. Is this the way the quilt would be done with the Ohio Star block above?

I would like to know because I am not a fan of this as I have done one and hate stitching all that sashing over the the seams. I am going to do the quilt I did this way again because the embroidery designs are gorgeous, but I will just stitch the top layer to create the blocks and then use one piece pf batting and backing the traditional way and quilt.

Could this Ohio Star be done the traditional way by not putting the batting and backing behind it while on the hoop, or am I misunderstanding the instructions above?

I love the pin cushion.

Nancy ZiemanAugust 7, 2012

Hi Cynthia,
Eileen shows techniques for reversible piecing, adding sashing to the front and back of the blocks simultaneously. However, you may assemble the blocks traditionally by leaving out the quilt batting when embroidering the blocks.

CynthiaAugust 7, 2012

Thank you for the quck response.

JeanAugust 7, 2012

Thanks Nancy!
Your machine and emroidered quilting blog is mine to use! I have shared Great Kids Sewing with a young 4-Her,, 10 Creative Apron Sewing Ideas with a friend, your 30th Anniverary Day with a relative, but I will love using the Quilting and Appliqué ideas myself!
Thank you!